Master Plan Committee
The Master Plan Committee meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room. For Agendas, Minutes and links to video recordings of our meetings, please visit our Documents page.
What is the Master Plan Committee?
The Master Plan Committee was formed to represent a wide range of community interests and to oversee the development of the Master Plan.
What is the role of the Master Plan Committee?
The Master Plan Committee is both an advisory committee to our consultants, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, as well as a working committee. In addition to representing specific interests in the community, Master Plan Committee members must also think comprehensively about how all aspects of the plan affect one another. For example, open space plays a role in economic development and housing; land use and housing affect transportation, traffic, and infrastructure, etc.
How was the Master Plan Committee formed?
An advertisement for committee members was placed on the Southampton Town Website, and a number of key stakeholder groups, boards and committees were approached in order to ensure diverse representation on the committee. There was a great deal of interest, and a broad range of stakeholders were selected to sit on the committee.
Who is on the Master Plan Committee?
The Master Plan Committee consists of a diverse group of municipal officials, key stakeholders and citizens, including representatives from the Board of Selectmen, Conservation Commission, Energy Committee, Highway/Water Department, Historical Commission, Housing Authority, Parks Commission, Planning Board, and the Local School Committee, as well as a representative of the local business community and five Citizen At-Large. There are currently three vacant spots being held for the Council on Aging, the Cultural Council, and the Hampshire Regional High School.
Committee Members
Jess Dods Board of Selectmen
Courtney Haff Conservation Commission
John Martin Finance Committee
Chuck Kanecki Energy Committee
Ed Cauley Highway/Water
Kristina Madsen Historical Commission
Vijay Dalal Housing Authority
Mark Reed Parks Commission
Jean Christy Planning Board
Dan Abel Local School Committee
Stephen A. Brunelle Local Business Owner/Citizen at Large
Henry Barton Citizen at Large
Brian Domina Citizen at Large
Thomas Gentile Citizen at Large
Charlie Kaniecki Citizen at Large
Nicholas Boisiolie Citizen at Large
Vacancy Council on Aging
Vacancy Cultural Council
Daniel Valinski Hampshire Regional High School Student
Staff: Diana Schindler Town Administrator
Linda Summers Edwards Public Library
What are the specific responsibilities of Master Plan Committee members?
The Master Plan Committee will work with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) and will be responsible to:

• Attend monthly Master Plan Committee meetings;

• Serve as a liaison between the Master Plan Committee and the larger community;

• Comment on PVPC’s review of existing plans, visions and proposed actions;

• Identify distinct populations and groups that have a vested interest in the town for community interviews to be conducted by PVPC;

• Assist in drafting questions for a community-wide survey;

• Communicate with the larger community about the process, and recruit residents and community groups to participate;

• Attend and participate at public education events;

• Attend and participate at the Visioning Workshops;

• Review and comment on data analysis conducted by PVPC for each of the Master Plan chapters;

• Assist in the drafting of goals, strategies and action steps (implementation) for each of the Master Plan chapters;

• Review and edit Master Plan chapters as they are developed;

• Assist in fundraising as needed;

• Attend Master Plan public forums and hearings.